PLAYER TO WATCH: G Mike Smith. The shaggy-haired goalie known as Smitty proved to be a more-than-capable No. 1 goalie in his first full season on the job, winning 28 games with eight shutouts and a 2.21 goals-against average. With the confidence of last season's deep playoff run, he could be a Vezina Trophy candidate.

OUTLOOK: The Coyotes should be brimming with confidence after winning their first division title and reaching the conference finals for the first time in 33 years as an NHL franchise. With the core of last year's roster back, they should be position to get the lockout-shortened season off to a good start and be able to sustain it toward another possible deep run in the playoffs.

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SAN JOSE SHARKS

LAST SEASON: 43-29-10, 96 points. Lost to St. Louis 4-1 in first round.

PLAYER TO WATCH: D Brent Burns. The big acquisition before last season, Burns struggled in his first season with the Sharks as he tried to figure out how to fit in. His points and assists were down from his final year in Minnesota and he was not nearly the aggressive, hard-hitting defenseman the Sharks had been expecting. The Sharks hope that an increased comfort level will lead to better results in year two for Burns.

OUTLOOK: The Sharks hope to be a faster, more aggressive team after the disappointing finish a year ago. They brought back most of the key players from that squad led by captain Joe Thornton but hope Hall of Famer Larry Robinson's impact on the struggling penalty kill unit as a new assistant will help return San Jose near the top of the conference.

VANCOUVER:

LAST SEASON: 51-22-9, 111 points. Lost to Los Angeles 4-1 in first round.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Cory Schneider. He replaced Roberto Luongo during last year's first-round exit and the 33-year-old goaltender seem to be on his way out. The 26-year-old Schneider signed a three-year, $12 million contract extension last summer.

OUTLOOK: The Canucks have perhaps more urgency than any other NHL team to win the Stanley Cup. Vancouver led the league in points the past two regular seasons. After being a win away from hoisting the Cup for the first time in 2011, the Canucks won only one postseason game last year against the Kings.

The San Jose Sharks started to do a better job of limiting the Sedin brothers last season, and they know that's critical against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Sharks held the Sedins without a point earlier this year, and these teams meet again Tuesday night in Vancouver - where San Jose has failed to win in regulation in its last eight visits including the postseason.

Vancouver (11-6-4) is 10-2-2 in this series - including a five-game victory in the 2011 Western Conference finals - since the start of 2010-11. In that season, Henrik Sedin had 17 points in nine matchups and Daniel Sedin finished with 12.

All four meetings in 2011-12 were decided by one goal, with the Canucks going 3-0-1. However, Henrik Sedin had just one goal and one assist while Daniel's goal accounted for his lone point.

Neither brother had a point as San Jose (10-6-4) took the first meeting this season, 4-1 on Jan. 27. The Canucks were 0 for 7 on the power play.

That victory was part of San Jose's franchise-record, seven-game win streak to start the season, which preceded a 1-6-3 stretch. The Sharks recovered a bit last week, completing a 2-0-1 homestand with Saturday's 2-1 victory over Nashville.

"The first seven games, we showed we could win off of skill alone and it kind of caught up to us and I think these last couple, we've worked hard and skill has come through as well," said center Logan Couture, who had four points on the homestand. "So we've got to work to win games."

San Jose is 2-6-0 with a pair of shootout victories in its last eight visits to Vancouver, last winning in regulation there Nov. 29, 2009.

The Sharks continue to excel on the penalty kill, yielding five goals in opponents' last 61 chances. They will face a Vancouver power play that is 0 for 2 in each of its last five games.

San Jose was thrilled that Dan Boyle and Joe Pavelski had power-play goals against the Predators, giving the club two in one game for the first time in 15 contests.

"It came through, and if you can count on your power play for something once every four or five times that would be a really good thing for our team right now," coach Todd McLellan said.

Vancouver is no doubt pleased to be home after losing for the third time in four games, 4-2 at Calgary on Sunday. The Canucks' arrival in Alberta was delayed due to a snowstorm until just 2 1/2 hours before game time.

"I think it's part of hockey, I think guys growing up are used to that," said defenseman Cam Barker, who had an assist in his Canucks debut.

Jannik Hansen had an eventful weekend with a goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-2 home victory over Los Angeles and the same against the Flames. In between, his wife Karen gave birth to twin boys early Sunday morning.

Roberto Luongo is 3-0-2 with a 1.33 goals-against average in five home starts this season. Cory Schneider has never started at home against the Sharks, and his 4.08 GAA in five outings against them is his highest versus any West club he has faced more than once.